Linguini with Grilled Swordfish
Monday, February 14, 2011 at 8:58AM 
It seems like only a few days ago that we were unpacking and settling in here at our little place on the California Central Coast. But it was actually a month ago, and now we’re packing up and getting ready to return home. It’s been a glorious respite from the Midwest winter, with day after day of unending sunshine, blue skies and ridiculously beautiful weather.
And oh my, have we eaten well while we’ve been here. One of the best meals of the entire month was this incredibly fresh grilled swordfish. Surprisingly, we actually had a couple of swordfish steaks left over, and used them to create this delectable pasta. It was simply divine, with the emphasis on “simply”.
When you have fish this fresh, the last thing you want to do is bury it under a heavy sauce, so we’re just talkin’ here about a little olive oil, garlic, diced tomato, wine and fresh herbs. There really is nothing better than wrapping your fork around simply seasoned, perfectly al dente pasta and a tender piece of grilled swordfish. Unless, of course, you get to enjoy it as the sun sets over the azure blue of the Pacific Ocean. Sigh.
But, you know, in spite of the spectacular beauty that surrounds us here on the West Coast, home is calling us back. I, for one, am beginning to get excited to get back to our place, the Circle B Kitchen, my chickens, and yes, the rest of our Midwest winter. We’ll take with us some wonderful memories of our time here, not the least of which is seafood barely hours from the sea and this delectable pasta it inspired.
Linguini with Grilled Swordfish
Click here for a printable recipe
This pasta is all about the swordfish, so be sure your fish is really fresh.
¾ lb fresh swordfish steaks
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
¾ lb linguini
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup of white wine
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Heat your grill or grill pan until it is quite hot.
Mix together the melted butter, lime juice, salt and pepper. Brush each swordfish steak with the butter mixture. Place the swordfish on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Baste with more of the butter mixture and turn the steaks, cooking for another 3 minutes. Remove the swordfish from the heat and, cover with a foil pan or lid and let sit off the heat for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Cook the linguini in boiling, salted water for about 7 minutes.
While the linguini cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for another 3 minutes. Add the most of herbs, reserving a tablespoon or so for serving.
Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the swordfish. Mix well with the sauce in the pan, cover and let sit off the heat for about 5 minutes to allow the pasta to finish cooking and absorb some of the sauce. Add a little of the cooking water if the sauce needs thinning and taste for salt and pepper.
To serve, top with with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.
Reader Comments (1)
This looks pretty good. Your pics are appetizing. I've never made it before so I googled on the ingredients and landed here. I'm going to make something very much like it tonight, I'm going to go with olive oil instead of butter. I'm going to use canned "tomatoes and green chilis." Maybe I'll add some sliced black olives. And the cup of wine will go in me. :-)